TR Replies
author=Lisa link=topic=11700.msg48592#msg48592 date=1230596056]
Initially they were told by one woman that she was sorry for their experience but there was nothing she could do.
Doesn't surprise me. :( I'm glad they made it off though!
You stuck the landing, very nice.
Tony on skinny skis?? Now you can say you have had the experience but we all know you ski best on steeps!! ;)
It's a good thing they were able to unload the chair that afternoon. Crystal likely would have charged their estate for a lift ticket if they were to be found on the chair the next day!
Wow, I can't believe Guest Relations didn't bend over backwards and give them both unlimited season passes for the negligence they endured.
Hi Lowell, noticed your Kahtoola Microspikes in the first photo. How do you like them? Have you used them on trails? On slick icy rocks?
I was considering getting those for early season (Oct-Nov) icy-trail approaches like Heliotrope Ridge, especially the sometimes very icy glacier-polished rocks above the Hogsback moraine. Even the trail from Paradise to Pebble Creek was really icy one of the times I went earlier this fall.
Also seems like they would have been perfect fo...
I was considering getting those for early season (Oct-Nov) icy-trail approaches like Heliotrope Ridge, especially the sometimes very icy glacier-polished rocks above the Hogsback moraine. Even the trail from Paradise to Pebble Creek was really icy one of the times I went earlier this fall.
Also seems like they would have been perfect fo...
I learned to cross-country ski at Apple Valley Senior High. Grew up skiing Buck Hill ( was on the freestyle ski team there for a couple seasons. ) Those were the years I got 75+ days skiing bumps.
Looks like Lebannon hills in the pics to me. Am I correct? I was there over Christmas visiting my family who moved to Minnesota a few years back and also enjoyed a day perusing the rolling hills at Lebannon Hills park. The snow was fantastic and I only wished there was a mountain larger than the trash heap they call Buck Hill. Alas, I settled for dreaming of powder turns and upon arrival to the PNW I was blessed with a powder day at Stevens (yesterday). Seems good things come to those who wait....
Marcus, you are absolutely right. Apparently I'm really bad at Pacific Coast internet too - this is so frustrating! I promise I will get those photos up if it's the last thing I do...er, today sometime.
As for using my time for another TR Holly - I got in late on the night/morning of the 27th/28th. So I used yesterday as a recoup day from all that flat land and went and ripped Crystal. ;D No tr. But I'm not only determined to get these darned p...
As for using my time for another TR Holly - I got in late on the night/morning of the 27th/28th. So I used yesterday as a recoup day from all that flat land and went and ripped Crystal. ;D No tr. But I'm not only determined to get these darned p...
The OTHER land of the Norse...;) Thanks for the pics! And, for the sake of MN integrity - Giant's Ridge Ski Resort in northern MN has more vf drop than Snoqualmie Pass!
Video: http://www.climbwashington.com/media/mccaTour.wmv
Warning: Pathetic kickers in the sandtraps
Warning: Pathetic kickers in the sandtraps
Glad you are ok. Mike and I headed up on Friday (I responded to your post) but now I see why you weren't interested in skiing on Friday too. The AVI I course is such a good thing to do. Once you take that course you will have many tools, but you have to practice them to get better and learn the snowpack. Has everyone dug a pit to check out the layers and practiced with their beacons? WILL
Similar experience at Paradise on the 24th. Doom and gloom from park staff. Snow certainly was unstable ( slabby, cracks, a whumpf or two ) but it wouldn't slide, even on steep slopes, no matter how hard I tried ( and I tried pretty hard ). Guess this is because the ingredients for instability aren't quite the same as the ingredients for avalanches.
What happened here Scott!! Did you go skiing or something and leave us hanging for pictures? You've let me down. :'( Sure hope whatever it is your doing instead inspires good TR reading material! ;)
author=Marcus link=topic=11662.msg48512#msg48512 date=1230448262]
Good to hear you're taking Avy I&II Brad -- lots of great info in those courses. Missed you at Alpy today -- it was a soggy mess and I ripped a binding out of a brand new pair of skis on the second run. Got pretty good at monoskiing on the way back down from the top of Armstrong.
Sorry to have missed you yesterday Marcus, and about your binding. Some word...
http://picasaweb.google.com/dangreenfield3/RecentlyUpdated?feat=directlink#5284940293797178082
That's funny shit....nice to see imagination at work.
Wow! That looks great. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for sharing!Glad you are okay.
In stable conditions that might be a good line for the rando race in Alpental.HA!Ha!
In stable conditions that might be a good line for the rando race in Alpental.HA!Ha!
Your photos accomplished what I thought impossible: I am a bit homesick for Minnesota even though it's flat and frigid. Minneapolis is really a fun city; too bad it's in the midwest. Thanks for the lovely pictures.
Good to hear you're taking Avy I&II Brad -- lots of great info in those courses. Missed you at Alpy today -- it was a soggy mess and I ripped a binding out of a brand new pair of skis on the second run. Got pretty good at monoskiing on the way back down from the top of Armstrong.
trumpetsailor,
Gutters pose no problems - just jump a bit.
With 8 inches of new on Christmas Day, we pretty much tracked out the whole west side of Roof Peak. However, I am ready to retire from urban skiing in favor of real mountains.
Gutters pose no problems - just jump a bit.
With 8 inches of new on Christmas Day, we pretty much tracked out the whole west side of Roof Peak. However, I am ready to retire from urban skiing in favor of real mountains.
Wind slab! makes sense, thanks for getting back to me!
Alan, lemme know if they ever want to try it out, on skis, runners or wheels, anytime ...
Marcus, Scottie, and bc_skier...thank you for the supportive feedback. My AVI education is self-taught by The Avalanche Handbook, NWAC’s on-line AVI ED website; http://www.nwac.us/education.htm, and fellow ski companions shared knowledge. That being said, I still consider myself novice to this field. I should hope continue to always gain a better understanding of AVI conditions, weather and terrain cruising. AHA! moments are better left for other things in life than understanding the first hand...
Nice job!! Good camera work too!! I did two runs on 12-20-2008 before the Pioneer Industries driveway was cleared out. Lots of Fun! FYI - It's Highland Park Way not Drive. I feel obligated to point this out since I live in the area. ;) Highland Drive is an east-west road on Queen Anne and Capitol Hill. :)
Andy seemed to hit the perfect pocket,that created an isolated wind slab(50degee slope)
You fail at midwestern internet...
But I can't wait to see the pictures :)
But I can't wait to see the pictures :)
lol...my mom's computer is running a program that blocks me from uploading url's. I fly back tomorrow, so I'll try to post them up then! LOL :)
author=teledavid link=topic=11526.msg48475#msg48475 date=1230335663]
It was my first time to Baker slack country, so are Blueberry chutes the north facing shots below Table mtn?
Yes.
Dave,
Looks like lots of fun. Nice to see you and Daniel after such a long time. As you might know we have had an unusually deep and prolonged snowpack here on the west side. I thought that it might let up today with warmer temps and rain, but it snowed anyway and my father-in-law ended up shoveling several more inches while we skied at Stevens with the kids.
The kids really enjoyed the videos.
I was able to get Megan out on Xcountry gear during...
Looks like lots of fun. Nice to see you and Daniel after such a long time. As you might know we have had an unusually deep and prolonged snowpack here on the west side. I thought that it might let up today with warmer temps and rain, but it snowed anyway and my father-in-law ended up shoveling several more inches while we skied at Stevens with the kids.
The kids really enjoyed the videos.
I was able to get Megan out on Xcountry gear during...
This morning in the foothills found thin and crusty snow from 450' to 800' asl, then gradually better snow to actually really nice powder 1500' and above and plenty of coverage. But this won't last, forecast rain and high freezing levels on their way. Soon it will be time to go to an actual mountain in the places where snow usually is found.
and the poser on the shiny new AT gear skiing the mellow?
We're waiting! . . . Not too impatiently either. ;)
http://www.nwac.us/products/SABSEA
SNOWPACK ANALYSIS
Recent moderate snowfall has been received in most areas
during the past few days. For the most part this recent
snow is quite light and fluffy, and intermittent moderate
winds have generally transported this onto lee slopes
where mostly 6-18 inch soft slabs and considerable
avalanche danger exist. These lee slopes are
predominantly northeast to southeast exposures near
higher ridges an...
SNOWPACK ANALYSIS
Recent moderate snowfall has been received in most areas
during the past few days. For the most part this recent
snow is quite light and fluffy, and intermittent moderate
winds have generally transported this onto lee slopes
where mostly 6-18 inch soft slabs and considerable
avalanche danger exist. These lee slopes are
predominantly northeast to southeast exposures near
higher ridges an...
I'm curious about the exact type of avalanche that Andy was in. Was it truly a slab or was it a sluff? I'm interested because i was in the Baker slack country the next day (12/14) and dug a couple of pits (pit profile on snowpilot) that day and found very unconsolidated snow on the old crust. Also, i saw sluffs all over the place but no slabs. It would be very interesting if a slab happened there.
It was my first time to Baker slack country, so are Bl...
It was my first time to Baker slack country, so are Bl...
Was this a skiier triggered slab, or did it release from a slough, tree bomb, etc..?
This report highlights something I'm always thankful for in the back of my mind, but I gotta call it out-DAMN NWAC IS GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO!!! Thanks guys!
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=11473.msg48463#msg48463
This report highlights something I'm always thankful for in the back of my mind, but I gotta call it out-DAMN NWAC IS GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO!!! Thanks guys!
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=11473.msg48463#msg48463
Brad, thanks for sharing your experience. It takes a big guy to share some of their mishaps as well as their successes and your report is very helpful for the overall good of the BC community.
Get out on patrol now and get Alpy into shape and the boo out so we can get the goods!
Get out on patrol now and get Alpy into shape and the boo out so we can get the goods!
the resort has heaps of snow and they just opened all the steeps so that after tonights storm it should be well filled in everywhere.
Hey Brad,
Glad you're okay -- scary stuff. Yesterday was the first really significant warm-up we've seen in a couple of weeks and a ton of snow -- no surprise that you found some nasty layers.
I'll be at Alpy on Saturday, in all likelihood -- I'll look for you! Are you working or skiing?
Glad you're okay -- scary stuff. Yesterday was the first really significant warm-up we've seen in a couple of weeks and a ton of snow -- no surprise that you found some nasty layers.
I'll be at Alpy on Saturday, in all likelihood -- I'll look for you! Are you working or skiing?
Glad to see everyone's supportive attitude towards sharing our mistakes for the benefit of all. Have a safe weekend in bounds - note the coming huge warm storm.
Moscawulff,
Thanks for the 'heads up' on conditions you found at Source Lake. Your observations and decisions to move on even though you saw obvious signs of instability I found interesting. I do not mean to be harsh or critical, however, your experience is a perfect opportunity to get a discussion going about backcountry travel, avalanches and the 'decision making process' that we all have to make in similar situations.
You observed signs of instabili...
Thanks for the 'heads up' on conditions you found at Source Lake. Your observations and decisions to move on even though you saw obvious signs of instability I found interesting. I do not mean to be harsh or critical, however, your experience is a perfect opportunity to get a discussion going about backcountry travel, avalanches and the 'decision making process' that we all have to make in similar situations.
You observed signs of instabili...
Yes!, based on the hyperbolic nature of the flux capacitor the future is always with us, by our intentions!
Do you mean Christmas Day - Dec 25? Your subject line presently says Dec 26.
Glad to hear everyone's safe!
Glad to hear everyone's safe!
How's the gutter? :).